Dish



Peb. 17, 194s. a H w, CLARKE 2,436-097 DISH I Filed March 23, 194:5 5 sheets-sheet 1 Feb. 17, 1948. H. w. CLARKE 2,436,097

DISH Filed'lwarch 23, 1945 s sheets-sheet;

iINVENTOR.

Patented Feb. 17, 1948 This invention relates. toa comer-ea*v dish for:

When it is desired tofprovide'mealsfor Workers,`

particularly ini minestanchlarge plants', it has frequently been consider-edi -i-mprbticablet to serve complete meals including .Hot-'or chilled :foods becausel of the distances which itl i's neces-V sary to transport the: meals: before servingthem tothe workers; 5

Accordingly, itis" an object .or the present m:-

vention tof` provide ai dish adapted for serving foods and/ orV beverages: which will: be?4 vcapablev oir keeping the foods or beverages i'n.: perfect.' condition and. without seriously` objectionable change ofv temperature while'. iii-.transport or awaiting transport to theiconsum'er; l

Another object of the'invention: i'si toiprovide a, dish for serving? mealsi which willi bei entirely.y hygienic and preserve foods from contamination'. Another object of the: invention is'i toi'. provide a dish which will be convenient for use eitherl on.v a: table or on ones,V lap.:l

Another'obj'ectv of thev invention isi to-'provide' a dish adapted for easeiotifaliisport, particularly for stacking without"` ,dange'fof tippingo'r slipping from the stack'.V

Another objectrof the? invention iS'- a covered dishy whicniy willI show, by' a readily apparent indication, whether it has b'eehopene'di after leaving the' kitchen' where itha's' beerrlled.. Another object ofi the invention isito: provide a dish which is' adapted tof'facilitateordering toprovide:

iinlitt'ioii'ifvlarcir 23'; 1943", serial Noa rentree-A 6- Glaimsi (Cl. 65e-59) Figure 1 is a top plan view with-ff a portion broken away andv shownA in section;`

Figure 2 'is' ai viewzixr front elevation. of one covered dishA slrrowin'g a. portion or another stackedv on theI first.; and .with a portion broken away and'l showninvertioal section; f i

Figure 3` is a1 top', plan view. of the' dish' uncovered and with parts of the paper covers broken awayy toV disclose the interiors of theI food-receiving recesses;V z. f l

Figureeis a viewlinvexticalfsection* of a covered' dish taken along-` af line indicated at 4 4 inlFigllT-S: 1T

Figure 5 isv afverti'ea-l transverse section taken Figure 6 is a view inttransvrsevertical section taken on; line-I--I:,otFigure-A ,2-1 and Figure '7 is aviewini front; elevation.- and partly broken away, of anluncovereddish positioned on zdiits own cover;` i

and: delivery'of individuali-meals, anch to'.faciiitatez accountingy andlbilling thefrne'als delivered? aslwell as'l'ostior broken utensils;

other objects and advantages of:the;invent-ion.A will be'. apparent .from tlie following?. descriptionv Although. I'have shownvinf these'drawings: and

described in the'followingedescription, a 1'm'ef'er-r'edf embodiment Y of my' invention andhave suggested;

variousmodifications thereof', it is to befunder--zstood-that these lare `-not: intended to' be exhaustive nor limiting; ofthe invention, but orfttlie.` contrat-yg.

and the manner. of applying; the. same in.- practicaliuse and mayibe enabled; to modify andfadapt it in:` various forms;.each1 as:V may.` be bestv suitedk to the conditions ofa'lparticular use;

Referring: tothesecdrawings wherein I have shown a dishv embodyingvinyfinvention,v the main` body portion xI II- o'f theedish is, double-Walled, in the case' illustrated beings formed-f-,with an exterior wall: of stampedfmetaland anisin-terior wall of molded plastic.- y In the'preferredl embodiment of my inventionfthe. outervwall; I-IisenameledI steel and. is formed;1 with an? kiii-turned lip I2- whichl engages inafcorresponding groove in the inner plastic member I3. Preferably, this groove is filled with a waterproof-sealing compoundso asto prevent any ypossibility ofamoisture-leaking into the space between the? walls wherefit might reduce the efliciencyi ofgthe;thermal` .insulation I4, in vthis case;- a poroustinsulating material-such as rockwool o'rsp'onge glass-peto,

The lid I5: isrlikewise".composedfy of an outer wall'4 I6, similarly Inadeeofi enameled steel and similarly applied. to` an'l inner walt. of'. plastic I 8 between whichzisa therma-binsulatingspace I9- forms av bulge 2'2f on the undersideA of ther-lid' and this, as best yshown yin Fisure-fet; is-'cformekdon oppositel sides witlrat ste'epslope and a surface roughened.v byuriiiiin'gy 24E: or. other 'projections' or grooves so as toqprovideYa .convenientknee-hold; i. e., a portion'which:canbexgrasped betweenthe knees of one usingwthedish:tofholdistheflidser curely.v on his lap; The uppensurfacefofithe-lid and the lower surface of the body portion have portion 22 also serves to carry an order card 28 or menu, for the following meal and to this end overhanging projections 29 are formed along the more gently sloping sides of thebulge as clearly shown in Figure 6. The menu or order card is thus prominently displayed and in a location wherein it may be readily marked without removing it from the cover.

Along one side of' the dish the body I0 and the lid I5 are formed with inter-ntting hooked or grooved portionsV SII-'31, which securely hold the lid on the body portion when it is in a closed position but which readily permits removal of the lid when it is swunglupward from its closed position. f

At'the opposite side 'f the dish, the lid and body portion are provided with cooperating locking means by'which'the lid'is held securely in position and Y'-a'gainst swinging,z so as to permit release of the inter-engaging parts 3ft-3|. j In the drawings I have shown a locking means consisting of projections 33 engaged in grooves 34` 34' in the apron '35 of the lid I5. Each of the grooves 34 is'madeslm'ilar to a bayonet slot, i. e., with'an entrance portionextending to the edge and a communicating undercut portion wherein the projection 33 engages the edge of the slot to hold Athe-lid in closedpositlon. In one of theseslots is shown a recess! or hole 36 which is placed so as to exten'd'across'the bayonet slot so that the communication between the entrance and the undercut portion thereof is necessarily through this `'recess 36. The periphery of the re-Y cess 36 is grooved advantageously at the rear face as shown at' 31, butin any case, at a distance from thefront lface for reception of a locking' disc 39.

This locking 'disc 39ma'y advantageously be identical vin structure withthe paper discs commonly used formilk' bottle caps, preferably havingV a tab partially cut therefrom so that it can be lifted With'the vfingernail or a. knife to allow pulling of the cap outv fr'mits locking position. So long vvas the cap is' in place itl confines the projection 33 to the groove 34' and since there is no feasible way of removing the disc without at lea'stpartially destroying or defacing it, it will bereadily apparent if the dish has been opened sothat the contents of thedish'might have been or'partially removed or containithe lid or the body portion as is convenient, or could even be separate. As shown in Figure 3, this gasket extends completely around the periphery of the dish in order to seal it against contamlnation from the outside, and also extends around each of the recesses or compartments 4I and 42 in the rear corners of the dish whereby each of these compartments is sealed when the lid is in place nand thus hot or chilled beverages or frozen desserts, etc., placed in these compartments will not tend to distill vapors to or from other compartments having cooler or hotter foods.

The partitions surrounding the compartments 4| and 42 as indicated in Figures 4 and 5 are Vapproximately the same height as the periphery walls of the body portion of the dish and are' formed by an upward fold of the material oi.' which the inner Wall I3 is formed. As indicated, the thermal insulation extends into this fold s0 as to afford complete linsulation on all sides of the compartments 4l and 42.

Near the upper rim of the compartments 4I and 42 is provided an inwardly projecting lip 45 which makes a substantially tight lt with theV shoulder 45 onv the cup 41 so that when the cup is in place, a closed air space 48 is provided between the cup and the wall I3. This air space 48 increases the thermal insulation and particularly if the outer surface of the cup and the inner surface of the wall I3 are polished or other wise givenY a thermally reiiecting'nature. Such thermal reflecting surface may be advantageously provided, for example, by'faci'ng 'the inner wall I3 with a metal foil adhesively secured toV theV plastic, e. g., byplacing the foil over the mold when the wall I3 is formed.

A portion of 'the cup as 'indicated at 5I), is left projecting above the rim 45 and vat least at opposite corners a shelf orfrecess 5I is provided so the fingers can be conveniently inserted underneath the rim 50 for lifting vthe cup from its recess. Y

Advantageously 'the cup 41 is itself sealed .by a snap-in disposable paper lid 53. 'Y

Between the compartments 4I and 42 is a compartment 55 designedy to receive bread, pie, fruit or other miscellaneous items of the meal, and near the rear wall I have provided projections 56 behind which the paper covers used to seal the several compartments may be stacked when they are removed from the compartments by the consumer.

At the front of the dish are a plurality of recesses or compartments 58, 59, and 60 designed to hold the main course and items of the meal. Theserecesses are shallo'wer'than the recesses 4I and 42 but 'are similarly separated by folded portions of the inner wall I3 which form double walled insulating partitions. Approximatelyat the level of the top of these lower partitions I" have provided a peripheral groove 6I into which a paper cover'may be snapped -in order to seal the several compartments and also to provide' a shelf below the level of the lid on which may be placed napkins, knives, forks, spoons and other miscellaneous items or accessories which it is deired to include with the meal. As shown, the groove 6I is 'at' a level just above the level of the partitions between the compartments 58, 59, and

60 so that a single paper cover can be snapped into place covering al1 'of these compartments. When this isl done I prefer to have the cover scored transversely-so` asto divide it approximately into thirds whereby it canrbe rfolded and geacteerinserted .-.behind the projections `56 when -litl'fis' removed. instead Y of f. this, i I :may use separate covers for eachsof. the compartments 581,`-S9a`nd zandrfprovide. agrooveliiiineach of the compartments- B, .59. ,and- Sil ata level just? below thetopv of the intervening partitions.

:As an example of .the .use :of the dish described above,4 orders returned with thefzdish fromethe previous meal. on thecards 7235-' are? furnished-to the kitchen .management .and fir-em thesethe complete requirements forthe'n'ext mealfcan'lbe determined. The A.meal is then `"prepared vvand servedinto the several .recesses of the dish-.ace cording to: the .order cardff'orr'each dish. fPiain napkins, utensils. and any other standard -itemsfo thev meal are then added.the -parier coversfor the several recesses .are pnt inplace and' theA lid is put into position vand. locked by thefdisc 3.9, bearing the symbolidentifying the #particularlorderl :As eacndish is ii'lledand cliosediit can be stacked on the next on suitable trucks and meals thus prepared may be held for a substantial period until `all meals for a given' location .have been v,packt-:d tand'. stacked -ron the ltruck whereupon they may be delivered and will be received in condition that is assured by the fact that the dish is covered and sealed and thoroughly insulated against heat losses.

When the consumer receives the dish, he removes the disc 39 just as he Iwould pull out the cap from a milk bottle, the lid i5 is then moved laterally to release the projections 33 from the bayonet slots 34 and it is then swung upward to release the projections 3Q-3l and removed from the top of the dish. If the consumer is to use the dish on a table the lid will be laid aside, but if the meal is to be eaten from his lap the lid will be placed on his lap with the bulged portion 28 between his knees whereby it will be held against slipping out of place and the body portion is then tted on to the top of the lid. Paper covers, if used, are then removed and stacked behind the projections 56 after which the meal may be eaten in comfort.

The consumer will check on the menu card 28 his order for the following meal and when the dish reaches the kitchen again these menu cards will be removed and sent to the office before the dishes are cleaned for re-use. At the same time the utensils sent with the meal may be checked and in case of breakage or loss may be charged against the customer.

What I claim is:

l. A dish for serving prepared meals which comprises a body portion having a food-receiving recess therein, a lid for said dish removable therefrom wherein one edge of the lid and the corresponding edge of said body portion are formed with interlocking projection and groove members, whereby lidand body portion may be readily engaged and disengaged, and the opposite edges of the lid and body portion are provided with interengaging slot and projection, the member having-.such slot being provided with a recessv adjacent the open end of said slot whereby the projection must pass into and through said recess when it is removed from said slot the peripheral wall of said recess being grooved to receive a resilient disc, and a disc snapped into said groove having no means for pulling it out intact, but readily destructible, whereby it can be removed after at least partial destruction thereof.

2. A dish for serving prepared meals which comprises a body portion having a food-receiving recess therein for receiving at least a portion lof otiainreal'gear itdstherefor', =oueledge of; the iidwfand thereorespondingledgeeot xthe body. .portion fbeing" prodidediwith interengaging; Ylocking means 'op-J erabletcirelease 'saidflidf'oniy byfmovement of one' l partiftherecfiiinto'.a'frecess adjacent the locked position ofs'aidf-part, saidrecess being -open'i-to,

and-2visiblelrom,.outside-'the covered dish and the periphery thereof being formed with a shallow groove to engage fadisc, and a disc of easily destructible .material bearing an identifying symbol engaged in said groove and adapted to be removed therefrom only by impairment in some degree of the disc.

3. A'fzdi'sh for serving prepared mealsy which comprises a{arbodysportion having: a. 'food-receiving recess `tlfierein for.. receiving .at least a portioniof afffinealsariid therefonone edge of the lid-V and orresponding .edge ofthe v.body .portion being nrevidedriwith.interengaging locking means 01pera-ble to releasesaidiid only bymovement Vof one Dar-tithereof;4 into a recess adjacent theilocked positionfoisaid A part, said recessbeing open't-,to, and:visiblefirorn,A outside the covered dishand theiperipheryrthereof being formed with a shallow groove to engagea disc, and a paper disc adapted to iit into said recess and engage in said groove and having a tab cut but not lifted from the disc, whereby the disc can be pulled out, said disc bearing an identifying symbol.

4. A dish for serving prepared meals which Y comprises a body part having at least one foodreceiving recess therein, a lid part for said dish removable therefrom and having the central area of its upper surface fitted to the bottomk of said body part of the dish with a raised portion on one of said intertting parts received in a corresponding recess in the other when the body part is placed on such lid part, and a projection of substantial width and height extending downward from a central portion of said lidpart and having its sides roughened, whereby said lid part may be gripped between ones knees to form a table on which the body part may be held when open.

5. A dish for serving prepared meals which comprises a body portion, a lid therefor, one edge of the lid and correspondingedge of the body portion being provided with inter-engaging parts which together comprise a locking means operable to lock and to release said lid on said body portion, one of said parts being formed with a recess open to, and visible from, outside the covered dish, the recess being adapted to receive a disc of easily destructible material and to peripherally engage the edges thereof, the other of said parts including a projection positioned so as to enter a portion of said recess when said parts are lockingly engaged and so that, when the interengaging parts are operated to release said lid, said projection passes through a part of said recess which is normally occupied by said disc, whereby said disc is defaced by said projection whenever the locked dish is opened.

6. A dish for serving prepared meals which comprises a body portion having a food-receiving recess formed therein for receiving various foods and beverages of a meal, a lid therefor, one edge of the lid and the corresponding edge of the body portion being provided with interengaging locking means operable to release said lid only by movement of a projecting part thereof into a recess adjacent the locked position of said part, said recess being open to, and visible from, outside the covered dish and the periphery thereof being formed with a shallow groove to engage a disc, and a disc of easily destructible material 7 bearing an identifying symbol engaged in said groove across the path of said projecting part and adapted to be visibly impaired by movement of said vprojecting part incident to release of the cover, and said disc being removable therefrom only by visible impairment ot the disc.

HOUGH'I'ON W. CLARKE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATEN'IS Number Number 8 Name VDate Hasenour July 28, 1936 Russell Sept. 4, 1883 Keteham Dec. 31, 1912 Oetzmann Aug. 5, 1890 Justheim Feb. 16, 1937 Clayton June 11, 1929 Drinkwater Apr. 13, 1920 Sultzbaugh Aug. 2, 1916 Nuttall Jan. 8, 1924 Park Jan. 18, 1944 Helbach June 22, 1897 Fink July 7, 1942 Schleicher Oct. 17, 1911 Boland Oct. 8, 1929 Ritz' May 28, 1901 LeRose Apr. 6, 1937 Roman Oct. 26, 1937 Barton et al. May 28, 1946 Brown Apr. 3, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Feb. 26, 1889 

